New service for domestic violence victims

Gay and lesbian victims of same-sex domestic violence will be able to get specific help through the new Safe Relationships Project at the Inner City Legal Centre.

Offering specific services for same-sex partners, transgender and intersex people, the project will provide practical assistance in obtaining Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders, and will also work as an advocacy body.

The service will be there to help people going into court. We’ll assist them through that process by giving them information about what they need to do, what options they have, and just making them feel comfortable, a project spokeswoman said.

Through our networks we’ll also be able to refer people to services that can help them if they need counselling or to get Centrelink payments.

We’re also trying to get the Government involved to see that same-sex, transgender and intersex domestic violence are areas we would like to see improvement in.

Earlier this year the Inner City Legal Centre made submissions to the NSW Government’s Domestic and Family Violence Strategic Framework, calling for greater inclusion of gender diverse couples in Government domestic violence advertising, and for assistance establishing specialised services.

One thing we would like to see funding for is crisis accommodation for gay men in domestic violence situations to prevent men having to access homeless shelters, which are inappropriate in this sort of situation, the spokeswoman said.
We’d also like to see the mainstream media move away from those gendered representations of having just a female victim and a male perpetrator, and move more towards a look at relationship abuse in general.
The SRP will be launched tonight at 6pm at the Burdekin Hotel. Guests will include Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Julie McCrossin will act as MC.
info: To contact the Safe Relationships Project or the Inner City Legal Centre call 9332 1966.